0-0 in the crisis duel: Wolfsburg and Hertha are not making any progress

Created: 01/15/2022, 05:48 p.m

Players from both teams stand and lie on the field after the final whistle.

© Swen Pförtner/dpa

This result does not help either of the two crisis clubs.

Wolfsburg and Hertha separate in the duel of the disappointed 0-0.

Wolfsburg – VfL Wolfsburg may have ended their series of defeats in the Bundesliga, but not their sporting crisis.

In the duel between the two big disappointments of the season, it was only enough for a 0-0 draw against Hertha BSC on Saturday.

That result didn't help either club move out of the relegation places.

After eight defeats in the previous eight competitive games, Wolfsburg mourned several missed chances in the first half in front of 500 spectators.

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After all, for a long time VfL was the only team whose commitment did justice to the importance of this crisis duel. Wolfsburg was active, Hertha, who started without Peter Pekarik (Covid-19) for a short time, was surprisingly passive, at least in the first half. However, the wolves were so negligent with their clear scoring chances that you can't really afford in this sporting situation.

In the 16th minute, Jerome Roussillon passed the ball into the penalty area from the left, where €12m buy-in Luca Waldschmidt shot the ball over the goal almost from the penalty spot.

Just two minutes later, Wout Weghorst was the receiver of a Roussillon cross, but his volley from just seven meters landed in the arms of Alexander Schwolow.

The Hertha goalkeeper also saved with just one arm in the 29th minute when Wolfsburg's Yannick Gerhardt ran towards him alone.

VfL could also be annoyed that referee Robert Hartmann from Wangen did not give a penalty after Jordan Torunarigha threw on Renato Steffen in the 39th minute and the video assistant did not intervene either.

The Berliners repeatedly made blunders like Torunarigha's duel in this situation. Waldschmidt's big chance was also preceded by a careless loss of the ball by Myziane Maolida. Nevertheless, Hertha almost took the lead just before the break, a Niklas Stark header was already in the goal in the 43rd minute. His teammate Jurgen Ekkelenkamp had just pushed Roussillon away, which is why referee Hartmann rightly gave Wolfsburg a free kick this time.

Only VfL initially had clear chances in the second half. Waldschmidt and Weghorst were blocked by Stark in a good shooting position (58'). A long-range shot from Waldschmidt went just over the goal (59'). But the big difference now was: Hertha was much better in the game. The Berliners no longer just let the Wolfsburg come, but determined the game from minute to minute. This increase was only enough to keep Wolfsburg away from their own goal. And not in order to play out your own clear options. A turning shot by Marco Richter (73rd) brought Hertha the closest to 1-0.

And so, in the end, no wish from a coach came true.

Hertha's Tayfun Korkut wanted to play "actively".

Wolfsburg's Florian Kohfeldt had said: "Whether he's dirty, beautiful or with drums and trumpets: the main thing is a win!" Neither happened.

dpa